Catholicism Today : An Introduction to the Contemporary Catholic Church

This book intends to familiarize its readers with Catholicism and Catholics. An attempt has been made, in this book’s structure as well as in the topics covered, to provide answers to questions which, in the author’s experience, are quite common when the subject of the Catholic Church is raised. After an extremely concise historical overview of Christianity in general and Catholicism in particular, the book explores what being Catholic might mean, the core beliefs of Catholics, the way the Church is organized, the variety of Catholic rituals, and the Catholic calendar. It ends with a discussion of the challenges the Church faces now, and will face in the coming decades.

Catholics are not Christians. They worship Mary. They do whatever the pope says. They cannot divorce. They eat fish on Fridays. These flawed but common statements reflect a combined ignorance of and fascination with Catholicism and the Catholic Church. Catholicism Today: An Introduction to the Contemporary Catholic Church aims to familiarize its readers with contemporary Catholicism. The book is designed to address common misconceptions and frequently-asked questions regarding the Church, its teachings, and the lived experience of Catholics in modern societies worldwide. Opening with a concise historical overview of Christianity in general and Catholicism in particular, the text explores the core beliefs and rituals that define Catholicism in practice, the organization of the Church and the Catholic calendar, as well as the broad question of what it means to be Catholic in a variety of cultural contexts. The book ends with a discussion of the challenges facing the Church both now and in the coming decades. Also included are two short appendices on Eastern Catholicism and Catholicism in the United States.